


New York, New York

by ahsokaa



Category: Black Panther (2018), Marvel Cinematic Universe, Spider-Man: Homecoming (2017)
Genre: F/F, You're Welcome, no one in this fic is straight
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-02-19
Updated: 2018-02-19
Packaged: 2019-03-21 04:26:39
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,325
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13733118
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ahsokaa/pseuds/ahsokaa
Summary: Shuri isn't enjoying her visit to New York. That is, until Peter Parker invites her to visit his school and introduces her to a friend of his





	New York, New York

Shuri lets out a sigh as she wanders the halls of Stark headquarters. She and her brother had ended up in New York during their visit to America, and while the idea had excited her endlessly, it has ended up being unbearably boring. It didn’t take long before she grew tired of exploring Stark’s labs. Everything is so outdated compared to her own in Wakanda. Things get more interesting, however, when she meets another boy her age hanging out in the labs.

She finds out quickly his name is Peter, and he’s sort of Stark’s protege, only Shuri likes him way more. He’s a little awkward but incredibly smart (almost as smart as Shuri herself) and they quickly become friends.

He tells her all about his school and about his friends, going on endless about a boy named Ned (who Shuri quickly realizes he must have a huge crush on). He also talks about a girl named MJ, who seems to scare him a little despite the fact that they’re friends. Shuri finds herself intrigued by the other girl.

So when Peter invites her to come to school with him one day, she jumps at the chance. She’s bored of sitting around the labs by herself while her brother and Stark talk in private about things she’s not allowed to know about. Spending the day with Peter sounds way more fun, and if she secretly hopes to meet his cool friend MJ, too, well, no one needs to know that part.

Happy drives them to school the next morning, much to his annoyance. Peter tries to ask him a few questions and he promptly puts up the divider between them. Peter gives her a mock offended look and she laughs.

They arrive at Midtown before the first classes begin. Peter shows her around the school, which ends up being much bigger than she expected. As he shows her some of the classrooms, she notices a pretty girl staring at them in the hallway. She opens her mouth, about to ask Peter who she is, when the bell rings and he tells her it’s time to head to their first class. She makes a mental note to look for her again later.

Peter’s classes are endlessly boring. She wonders how he sits through them everyday when he already knows most of the material being covered. He laughs when she asks. “I fall asleep _a lot.”_

Finally, morning classes end and they head to lunch. A stern-looking woman in a hairnet places a questionable hamburger on her tray and shoos her along. She catches up quickly with Peter, who leads them to his normal lunch table at the back of the cafeteria. He sets down his tray next to a dark haired boy, sitting down as he speaks.

“Guys, this is Shuri. She’s visiting from Wakan- someplace far.”

 _Nice save, Peter,_ Shuri thinks, fighting the urge to roll her eyes. “Shuri, this is Ned and MJ.” Peter gestures to the two of them. “My friends.”

“Oh so _this_ is the famous Ned,” she smirks at Peter, who promptly turns bright red. Ned’s cheeks flush slightly, too. _Huh. Looks like Peter’s feelings might not be as one-way as he thinks._

MJ lets out a laugh across the table and Shuri finally gets a good look at her and- and it’s the girl from this morning. The pretty one she saw in the hallway. Only she’s even prettier this close.

Peter’s voice pulls her from her thoughts. “Anyway,” he continues, rubbing the back of his neck awkwardly, “Shuri is super good with tech. You have to see this, Ned.” He pulls out a few pieces of her Black Panther tech and Ned picks up a comm device and turns it in his hand, gawking at it.

“You _made_ this? _”_ his voice is full of disbelief.

“Of course, I make all my own tech,” she replies simply.

“Wow. If I weren’t totally gay, I think I would propose.”

Shuri laughs. “Well, it’s a good thing I am also ‘totally gay’”. She meets MJ’s eye and swears she sees the other girl’s cheeks go slightly pink. Before she gets the chance to say something, the lunch bell rings.

“Peter, I need to talk to you for a sec. In private,” Ned says.

“Sure thing. I’ll be right back, Shuri.” He gets up and follows Ned.

“You’re from Wakanda, aren’t you?” a voice breaks the silence. _MJ’s_ voice.

“How do you know?”

“That tech- it’s vibranium, isn’t it? And your accent. And Peter pretty much said so himself.”

 _Dammit, Peter._ “I am,” she says slowly. “But I'm supposed to be keeping a low profile, so if you could-”

MJ nods. “Your secret’s safe with me, Princess.” MJ laughs as Shuri’s eyes widen and _god_ , what a nice laugh it is. “What can I say, I’m observant.”

She picks up her book and stands. “Maybe I’ll see you around.”

Shuri smiles. “I’d like that.”

“Sorry,” Peter says when he returns. “Are you ready to go?”

Shuri stares at the space MJ had occupied only moments before. “I’m in love with that girl, Peter.”

“Oh brother.”

____________________

She does see MJ again a few days later, when Peter invites her over after school for a movie night. They all pile into Peter’s bedroom and he sets up _Pacific Rim_ on his tiny laptop. A box of pizza and a big bowl of popcorn sit on his desk, already half eaten.

Peter and Ned sit down on the floor, laughing amongst themselves as the movie starts. MJ sits on Peter’s bed reading a thick book, feet dangling off the edge. Shuri takes a seat next to her, heart racing when the bed dips under her weight and her leg brushes against MJ’s. She tries to focus on the movie, but it’s hard with the other girl so close.

An hour in, Peter has already fallen asleep, head resting on Ned’s shoulder as he doses. Next to her, she sees MJ take a picture of the two, draw a heart around them with her finger, and send it to Ned. He opens the message and turns around (well, as best as he can without displacing Peter) to glare at her, face red. MJ and Shuri both laugh.

Shuri gets up a few minutes later and heads into the kitchen, tasked with popping another bag of popcorn. She sits on the counter as she waits for the first bag to pop, then puts in a second. She’s about to hit start when she hears Peter’s bedroom door open. MJ steps out.

“Hey, I’m getting a drink. Want one?”

“Sure.”

MJ opens the fridge and pulls out two sodas. She walks toward Shuri and hands her a can. Their fingers brush slightly, and Shuri’s stomach does a little flip.

“Thanks.”

The other girl nods. She’s standing so close Shuri finds it hard to breathe. MJ looks up at her, biting her lip. Only a few inches separate them now. She feels herself leaning closer when-

“Shuri, I think you may be the world’s slowest popcorn maker- _oh shit_ ,” Peter’s voice startles the two apart and he stares at them wide-eyed. He coughs awkwardly. “I, uh, don’t wanna miss the movie so, uh, you guys take your time. With the _popcorn_.”

“Dammit, Peter,” she hears MJ mutter. “To be continued?” She offers Shuri a hand. She accepts and jumps from the counter, grabbing the bowl of now-cold popcorn.

Ned stares at them knowingly when they return, and somehow Shuri isn’t at all surprised that Peter couldn’t keep his mouth shut.

MJ takes a seat next to Ned, handing him the popcorn, then gestures to the space next to her. She curls up next to MJ, lacing their fingers together. Out of the corner of her eye, she sees Peter give MJ a thumbs up. Shuri smiles softly at her new friends. Maybe New York isn’t so bad after all.

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks for reading! Come talk to me on Tumblr @gaynedleeds


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